A Flock of Seagulls (album)

A Flock of Seagulls is the debut studio album by the new wave band A Flock of Seagulls. It was released in 1982 on Jive and featured the international hit single "I Ran (So Far Away)", which reached the Top 10 in the US and New Zealand, as well as No. 1 in Australia. The song "Space Age Love Song" also managed to make the US top 40. On the success of the singles, the album reached No. 10 in the US.

A Flock of Seagulls
Studio album by
A Flock of Seagulls
Released30 April 1982
RecordedSummer–Late Autumn 1981
StudioBattery Studios
Genre
Length39:45
LabelJive
Producer
A Flock of Seagulls chronology
A Flock of Seagulls
(1982)		 Listen
(1983)
Singles from A Flock of Seagulls
  1. "Telecommunication"
    Released: 16 September 1981
  2. "Modern Love Is Automatic"
    Released: 1981
  3. "I Ran (So Far Away)"
    Released: 1982
  4. "Space Age Love Song"
    Released: 28 May 1982

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[3]
Smash Hits5/10[4]
Spin Alternative Record Guide8/10[5]
Tom Hull – on the WebB+ ()[6]
The Village VoiceA−[7]

The album received good reviews upon its release and radio airplay.[8][3] In his retrospective review for AllMusic, Tom Demalon gave the album 4.5 stars, calling it "great fun and a wonderful collection of new wave ear candy."

Critic Robert Christgau was also happy with it, giving it an A- and saying that it is "so transparently, guilelessly expedient that it actually provides the hook-chocked fun most current pop bands only advertise."[7] Other reviews pointed out the bands "pioneering sounds, compelling hooks and undeniably addictive gimmicks."[3]

The band, and particularly this album, were influential during the 1980s for their image[9] and for their production techniques. Record producer Phil Spector called the album "phenomenal."[10]

The album track "D.N.A." won a Grammy Award in 1983 for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Mike Score, Ali Score, Frank Maudsley and Paul Reynolds.

Original UK LP
No.TitleLength
1."Modern Love Is Automatic"3:50
2."Messages"2:52
3."I Ran (So Far Away)"5:09
4."Space Age Love Song"3:48
5."You Can Run"4:26
6."Telecommunication"2:32
7."Standing in the Doorway"4:40
8."Don't Ask Me"2:46
9."D.N.A."2:31
10."Tokyo"2:54
11."Man Made"5:40
2011 remaster CD bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
12."Pick Me Up"3:07
13."Windows"3:30
14."Tanglimara"4:30
15."Intro"3:24
US track listing
No.TitleLength
1."I Ran (So Far Away)"3:58
2."Space Age Love Song"3:45
3."You Can Run"4:28
4."Don't Ask Me"2:46
5."Messages"2:51
6."Telecommunication"2:31
7."Modern Love Is Automatic"3:49
8."Standing in the Doorway"4:41
9."D.N.A."2:30
10."Man Made"5:38

Personnel

Charts

Charting singles
Single Chart Position
"Telecommunication" U.S. Billboard Dance Club Songs 19
"I Ran (So Far Away)" Australian (ARIA Chart) 1
Canada (RPM)
 26
French Chart (SNICOP)
 31
Germany (Media Control)
 31
Netherlands Singles Top 100
 46
Official New Zealand Music Chart
 7
UK Singles Chart 43
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 9
U.S. Billboard Dance Club Songs
 8
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart 3
"Space Age Love Song" Australian (ARIA Chart) 68
Official New Zealand Music Chart
 31
UK Singles Chart 34
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 30
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart 59

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[21] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[22] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[23] Gold 500,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[24] Gold 7,500^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Demalon, Tom. "A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  2. The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. 27 May 2011. ISBN 9780857125958.
  3. Considine, J. D.; Randall, Mac (2004). "A Flock of Seagulls". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 304–05. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  4. Schlosberg, Karen. "Smash Hits, April 15, 1982 – p.33". Smash Hits. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  5. Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig, eds. (1995). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  6. Hull, Tom (26 April 2021). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  7. Christgau, Robert (30 November 1982). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  8. US college radio, the New British Invasion and media alterity N Rubin – Radio Journal: International Studies in Broadcast
  9. "Never mind the hair bands, here's a Flock of Seagulls!". Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  10. Wall of pain: the biography of Phil Spector. D Thompson – 2003 – Sanctuary Pub Ltd
  11. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  12. "Canadian Collections". Archived from the original on 14 April 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  13. "Offiziellecharts.de – A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  14. "Charts.nz – A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  15. "Swedishcharts.com – A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  16. "A Flock of Seagulls | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  17. "A Flock of Seagulls Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  18. "Top Selling Albums of 1982 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  19. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1982". Billboard. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  20. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1983". Billboard. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  21. "Canadian album certifications – A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls". Music Canada. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  22. "British album certifications – A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  23. "American album certifications – A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  24. "New Zealand album certifications – A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
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